Method for setting snap fasteners and the like



Feb. 2, 1943. 4 J. G, WQLFF 2,310,007

METHOD FOR SETTING SNAP FASTENERS AND THE LIKE V Filed May 16, 1939 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Jag i X VENTOR fi t. air) 1 4147 ATTORNEYS Feb. 2, J.WOLF-F METHOD FOR SETTING SNAP FASTENERS AND THE LIKE Filed May 16, 19594 Sheets-Sheet 2 n. w lumhv M wHml'y uymun "u nw mum W W 'l 140 JM vINVENTOR amyfl QM, W5 0 ATTORNEYS Feb. .2, 1943. WOLF'F METHOD FORSETTING SNAP FASTENERS AND THE LIKE Filed May 16, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3I Z7 NVENTOR Ways; 0%

J. G. WOLFF Feb. 2, 1943.

METHOD FOR SETTING SNAP FASTENERS AND THE LIKE Filed May 16, 1959 4Sheets-Sheet 4 l. T m N ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 2, 1943 METHOD FOR SETTING SNAP FASTENER AND THE LIKEJerome G. wolflk waterbury, Conn, assignor to Scovill' ManufacturingCompany, Waterbury, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application May16, 1939, Serial No. 273,926

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to the application of fastener elements togarments or other sheetlike articles on which they are customarily used,

and is particularly concerned with the improveclamped between thefastener element and its cooperating attaching part.

The full nature of the invention, including other objects and variousfeatures thereof, will be more fully understood from a consideration ofthe following description in the light of the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a sectional view of a completed snap fastener socketinstallation;

Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive illustrate in more or less diagrammatic fashionthe essential parts of a machine for setting a fastener element of thetype shown in Fig. 1 upon a supporting sheet in accordance with themethod of the present invention the several views illustrating thevarious steps of that method;

the various parts of the machine at different stages of the method; and'Fig. is a sectional view of another machine for setting fastener partsof the type illustrated v in Fig. 1-1 in accordance with the invention.

The fastener element l5 of Fig. 1 exemplifies the general class ofdevice with the setting of which the present invention is particularlyconcerned. That element is the socket part of a complete snap fastenerinstallation but it might just as well be a-stud element adapted forengagement by the resilient fingers of the'socket. It is set, inaccordance with present practice, by disposing it upon one side of asheet of fabric l6 and by then driving the prongs ll of an attaching capl8 through that sheet from its opposite side against the flaring anvilI9 of the element to turn them outwardly into the retaining ring 20,'andto clamp the sheet material between the flange 2I of the cap and theopposing rear flange 22 of the element. The prongs of thereby creatingpuckers and wrinkles.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a part of a practical form of buttonsetting machine in which the method may be carried outi Fig. 7 is asectional view of the practical machine taken on the line 1-? of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is another sectional view of the machine of Fig. 6 taken on theline 8-8 of Fig.- 7;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the lower fabric clamping member of the machineof Figs. 6 to 8, the cap thereof having been removed better toillustrate the internal construction;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken on the line ie m of Fig. 8; v i

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of another form of socket member with thesetting of which the present invention deals;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a part of a machine for practicing theinvention in setting snap fastener elements of the type illustrated inthe cap in passing through the sheet necessarily stretch and draw thematerial to some extent The presence of these unsightly wrinkles is madepermanent when the stretched material is clamped between the flanges ofthe two elements. Thereafter they can neither be drawn nor ironed out.

In order to avoid this objectionable result the present inventionproposes a method wherein the sheet material is grasped within anannular area completely surrounding and closely adjoining that uponwhich the installation will be made, and is firmly held while the socketand cap elements are being applied. If this procedure is followed anystretching of the material during the setting of the socket and studelements must necessarily be confined substantially to the area which iscovered by those elements and upon the completion of the setting thestretched material will be firmly clamped between the opposing flangesof those elements. Accordingly, when the sheet material is released fromthe initial grasp, the tension within that part of the sheet which iscovered by the socket and stud elements can not extend beyond themargins of their flanges, and it can not therefore generate puckers andwrinkles in the material surrounding the completed installation.

The method may better be understood by considering it with referenceto'Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive. In practicing it, the sheet I6 is placed upona lower clamping ring 23 so that it lies between the attaching cap i8supported on an anvil 24, and the socket member l5 which is disposed inco-operative relationship with the setting die 25.

-The position of these various parts at the beginning of the operationis thus illustrated in Fig. 2. As a first step in the-method an upperclamping ring 26 is moved downwardly to clamp the sheet material betweenitself and the lower ring within an annular area immediately surroundingthe anvil and setting die, as shownin Fig. 3. As the operation continuesthe anvil 24 and the setting die 25 are brought together to force theprongs of the attaching cap through the sheet and against the flaringanvil part of the socket, thus to turn them outwardly into the retainingring 20. The passage of the prongs through the sheet of course resultsin the stretching of the material to some considerable extent, but allsuch stretching is necessarily confined within that part which is firmlyheld by the clamping rings. At the completion of the setting stroke, theintervening and stretched sheet material will be firmly clamped betweenthe opposing flanges 2i and 22 of the cap and socket, as shown in Fig.4. These flanges thus take up the function theretofore performed by theclamping rings 23 and 26. Accordingly, the clamping rings may now bewithdrawn to the positions shown in Fig. 5. It will be evident that inthe completed installation the stretched material is all confined withinthe area covered by the socket member and the attaching cap. Thesurrounding material is necessarily free from tension and therefore freeof puckers and wrinkles.

A practical machine for carrying out the foregoing process isillustrated in Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive. Only those parts which areessential to a complete understanding of the'machine are shown in thedrawings for it is contemplated that they may be included as a part ofany well known setting machine. One satisfactory form of machine towhich they may be applied is shown in the Warner Patent No. 1,499,270.Reference may be had thereto for an understandin of the details of theoperating mechanism and other parts not shown. The variousconstructional details of the essential parts of the machine embodyingthe present invention will now be considered and the entire structurewill be correlated in the subsequent description of its operation.

The anvil element of th machine is generally designated by the numeral24 to conform with the diagrammatic showing of Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive.prises a cylindrical member 21 having its upper end slightly recessed at28 to receive the flange 2| of an attaching cap. This recess isnecessarily shallow. In order to assure proper disposition of the captherein the member 21 is provided with a locating pin 29 disposed withinits central bore. 30, such pin being adapted to fit within the centralopening in the cap element and thus to hold it properly centered uponthe anvil. It is necessary that the locating pin be removed or withdrawnfrom the position of Figs. '7 and 8 during the attaching operation toclear In this practical embodiment it com- The anvil member 21 ispreferably so designed that it may readily and quickly be installed inthe machine frame 34, or be removed for replacement by one of adifferent size or design. Accordingly it has a shank portion 35 ofreduced cross section which is adapted to fit within a recess 36 of aboss 31 with its shoulder 38 engaging the upper end of the boss, and tobe secured in that position by the tightening of set screw 39. The bossmay be constructed as a part of the frame of the machine if desired. Inthe preferred structure, however, it is a separate element secured inplace by a bolt 40.

The lower clamping ring is again generally designated by the numeral 23in order that it may conform with the showing of Figs. 2 to '5.

In this preferred embodiment it is formed bythe upper end of a sleeve 4|which is slidably mounted upon the main body of the anvil member 21 andof the boss 31. The sleeve is supported in its normal position, that is,with its upper end lying above the upper face of the an vii, by a coilspring 42 which has its opposite ends engaging the collar 43 of thesleeve and the shoulder 44 of the boss 31.

The sleeve is designed to serve a further function in the completedmachine-namely. as a part of an automatic cap feed mechanism. As maybest be seen in Figs. 8 and 9, its enlarged head is recessed at 45 toaccommodate a pair of cap holding arms 45. In the preferred embodimentthese arms are pivoted to the sleeve at 41 for movement in a horizontalplane and are urged inwardly by springs 48 against the stop elements 49.It will be noted that the lower inner edges of the arms are undercut toprovide cam faces 50 which overlie the upper end of the anvil member 21as is particularly shown in Fig.8.

Cap elements l8 may be fed into the head through a lateral opening 5|from an appropriate feed chute 52, all in a manner hereinafter pivotedthereto at 54, and is held in its normal position by a spring presseddetent 55. If, as

a path for other parts as will later be made evident. ThL. can mostconveniently be done by telescoping the locating pin with the member,

occasionally happens in operation, a cap becomes jammed in the head, thedetent may be released and the cover swung about its pivot so that thejammed part can easily be removed. This cover plate, of course, has acentral opening 56 through which the anvil member 21 may pass. It infact constitutes the lower clamping ring of the machine.

The setting die 25 is designed for cooperation with the socket memberI5. Accordingly its lower end face is appropriately shaped to complementthe surfaces of that member. Thus, and as may be seen particularly inFig. 8, it has a chamfered annular surface 51 which is adapted to engagethe front surface of the anvil l9 of the socket, and a central pin 58adapted to fit within the stud engaging recess defined by the resilientflngers of the socket.- In order that the die may be quickly installedin the machine, it has an end portion 59 of reduced cross sectionadapted to flt snugly within the bore 60 of a plunger element BI and tobe secured therein by any appropriate means such as the set screw 62.The plunger is slidably disposed in the machine frame 34 in alignmentwith the anvil 24 and is adapted to be reciprocated by any appropriatemechanism (not shown). A suitable driving mechanism is illustrated inthe Warner patent hereinbefore mentioned.

The upper clamping ring, again generally identified by numeral 26, isformed by the lower end of a sleeve 63 which is fitted over the settingdie 25. In this preferred embodiment the sleeve is carried by the dieand is also movable with respect thereto agai st the reaction of a coilspring 64 having its ends abutting against the collar 65 of the die anda shoulder 66 of the sleeve. The constructional details may best be seenin Figs. 7 and 8. There it will be noted that the die carries asupporting pin '61 in its central bore 68 and that the supporting pin inturn carries a cross pin 69 which extends through a longitudinal slot 10in the Wall of the die and into a longer slot II- in the sleeve 63. Thecross pin is thus the part which connects the sleeve to the die, andwhich determines the normal position of the sleeve by its engagementwith the upper end of the slot 'II. This normal-position may be adjustedwithin limits by varying the positions of the lock nuts I2 which arethreaded on the upper end of the supporting pin 61 and engage the upperend of the reduced portion 59 of the die. 1

The sleeve 63 is also designed to serve as a part of the automatic feedmechanism of the completed machine. It is accorrdingly provided with apair of arms 13 (Fig. 10) which are adapted to receive socket parts I5fed through a lateral opening I4 in the enlarged head of the sleeve froman appropriate feed chute I5, all in a manner hereinafter fully to beconsidered. The arms are arranged and constructed somewhat differentlyfrom those which have heretofore been considered in connection with thedescription of the lower sleeve 4| although identical arms might be usedif desired. The arrangement is best shown in Figs. 7 and 10. There itmay be seen that the arms I3 are relatively thin fiat members whichextend through radial slots I6 in the head and are urged inwardly byspring 'I'I so that their inner shaped ends may engage a socket memberI5 and hold it in proper alignment with the complementally shaped end ofthe the socket members and one of the caps.

overlying die 25. Inward movement of the arms is limited by engagementof their flanged outer ends llwith the outer surfaces of the sleeve.

The constructional details of these various parts, and of others 'notyet considered, may be better understood by a consideration of theoperation of the machine through one complete setting cycle. i

It will be assumed that a sheet of material has been placed upon thelower clamping ring 23 with that part upon which the installation is tobe made accurately registered with respect to the anvil and setting die.The machine is then started. Immediatelylever I9 is depressed to swingan arm 88 about its supporting shaft 8| so that the forward end of thearm may engage cam face 82 and rotate the cut-off element 83 about itssupporting pin 84 against the tension of spring 85. This cut-off 83 isdisposed in a raceway 86 through which socket parts are fed to themachine from any appropriate source. In the normal position of Fig. 7its arcuate cutout portion 81 engages and supports the entire stack ofsocket members I5. A quarter turn of the cut-off releases the lower oneof the socket members and allows it to slide down the feed chute I5 to apoint opposite the lateral opening her 63. The remaining socket members,however. are supported by the cut-off.

Simultaneously with this just-described action, the lever 19 rotates anarm 88 and lifts link 89 so that its lower offset end '90 may engage pin9| and swing a cut-off 92 about its supporting pin 93 against thereaction of spring 94. This cut-off is located in a raceway 95 throughwhich attaching caps are fedfrom any appro priate source. In its normalposition it obstructs the raceway and prevents the descent of the caps.A quarter turn of this cut-off releases the lowermost one of the capsand allows it to slide down the feed chute 52 to a point opposite thelateral opening 5| in the enlarged head of the sleeve 4|. 7 The twocut-off elements 83 and 92 complete their operative function by therelease of one of Accordingly at this point in the operation of themachine the lever I9 is lifted to retract the arms 88 and 88, and topermit the cut-offs to return to their normal positions under theinfluence of their springs 85 and 94 respectively.

In the next and second phase of the operating cycle, appropriatemechanism (not shown) swings an arm 96 about its point of pivotalsupport 91 to advance a push finger 98 along its supporting track 99.The forward and offset end portion I00 of the finger enters a slot |0|in the lower end of the chute 15' where it contacts the released socketmember I5 and pushes it through the lateral opening I4 in the head ofsleeve 63. The end of the push finger may best be seen in Fig. 10. Therounded outer edges of the socket engage the chamfered ends of thefingers I3 in the'head and spread those fingers very slightly so thatthe socket may pass therebetween. At the completion of this feed strokethe socket member will be held between the curved portions of thefingers I3 immediately beneath the end of the setting die 25 in theposition shown in Fig. 7.;

Simultaneously with the feeding of the socket elements, the mechanism ofthe machine advanees a second push finger I92 along its track I83, theforward end of the finger entering a slot-in the under side of the chute52 .to contact the released -cap element l8 and to push it through thelateral opening 5| in the head of the sleeve 4|. As the cap advances theedges of its flange engage the undercut cam surfaces 50 of the receivingarms 46 and spread those arms against the resistance of springs 48.Further advance of the cap brings its forward edge against the chamferedface 29a of the locating pin 29. This chamfered faceacts as a cam andlifts the cap. It cannot tip over, however, be-

I4 in the enlarged head of the upper sleeve memcause it is otherwiseconfined by the spring.

pressed arms 46. At the completion of the feed stroke the opening in thecap I8 registers with the centering pin, and the cap is forceddownwardly by the arms 46 to seat on the upper en of the anvil.

The second phase of the operating cycle has now been completed and thetwo push fingers 98 and 82 may be retracted to their initial positions,as shown in Figs. 6 to 8.

In the next and third phase of the operating cycle the plunger 6| iscaused to descend carrying with it the setting die 25 and the sleeveelement 63. This action brings the lower end of the sleeve 63 againstthe sheet material which is disposed on the upper end of the sleeve 4|and effectively clamps the sheet therebetween. It

may thus be seen that the opposing ends of the two sleeves correspond infunction to the clamping members generally designated at 23 and 26 inFigs. 2 to 5 inclusive.

Further descent of the plunger 6| causes the two sleeves to slide withrespect to the anvil and setting die against the reaction of springs 42and 64. The setting die accordingly engages the socket I5, strips itfree of its supporting arms 13, and presses it firmly against the uppersurface of the supporting sheet. In the simultaneous downward movementof the lower sleeve M the edges of the relatively stationary anvilengage the cam surfaces 50 of the arms 46 and spread those arms to cleara path for the subsequent passage of the anvil through the opening 56 inthe cover plate, or clamping ring. At this stage the centering pin 58 ofthe descending die, acting through the intervening sheet,- engages theupper end of the centering pin 29 of the anvil and telescopes that pinwithin the anvil against the tension of its supporting spring 3|. At thesame time, of course, the prongs of the attaching cap are being forcedthrough the sheet and against the anvil I9 of the socket to turn themoutwardly into the retaining ring of that element.

It will again be noted that the prongs stretch the sheet as they passtherethrough, but that all such stretching is confined to that part ofthe sheet which will be covered by the cap and socket member, thesurrounding portion being firmly held betweenthe opposing ends of thetwo sleeves. At the completion of the setting stroke, the stretchedmaterial will be firmly clamped between the opposing flanges 2I and 22of the cap and socket respectively. Hence the sleeves may be returned totheir initial positions without. releasing any stretchedrpart of thematerial. The material surrounding the completed socket installationwill be found to be wholly free of puckers and wrinkles.

In the foregoing it has been assumed that the part to be set was asocket element of the type shown in Fig. 1. The principles of the newmethod are applicable, however, to the setting of almost any elementwhich by reason of its design efiects a stretching of the sheet materialduring the attaching operation. To do so it is merely necessary toinstall setting tools of proper character in the machine of Figs. 6 to8,

and to provide that machine with feed chutes capable of accommodatingthe parts to be set. One other such element is shown in Fig. 11; and adie, an anvil, and clamping elements for use in setting it in accordancewith the present invention are illustrated in Figs. 12 to 14 inclusive.These tools are generally similar to the like elements of Figs. 6 toinclusive. Their constructional details may be fully understood from aconsideration .of the setting operation.

The feeding of a socket element II5 into the head of sleeve H6, and thepositioning of the member upon the anvil III may be substantiallyidentical with that heretofore described in connection with Figs. 6 to 8inclusive. So too with the feeding of a cap II8 into the head of thesleeve II9 surrounding the setting die I20. It will therefore be assumedthat the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 12. As the operatingcycle of the machine continues, the setting die is brought downwardly sothat the lower end of sleeve II9 clamps the sheet material I2I againstthe upper end of sleeve II6. Further descent of the die element causesboth of the sleeves to slide upon their supporting parts against thereaction of springs I22 and I23. Duringthis movement of the sleeves withrespect to the setting die and anvil, several things happen. The diestrips cap II8 from its supporting fingers I24 and presses it firmlyagainst the upper surface of the sheet. Simultaneously the lower sleeveH6 depresses the movable portion I25 of the anvil against the reactionof its spring I26 until its lower end engages shoulder I21, therebyallowing the relatively stationary centering pin I28 of the anvil toenter the barrel of the socket member II5. Thereafter the edges of themovable part I25 engaging the undercut surface I29 of the spring pressedsocket positioning arms I30, spread those arms so that the anvil maypass between them. Further downward movement of the setting die and thesleeves forces the sheet material into the cap H8. The positions of thevarious parts at this intermediate stage of the operating cycle areillustrated in Fig. 13. During the final part of the setting stroke thebarrel portion of the socket element will be collapsed within theattaching cap, trapping the stretched sheet material and clamping itbetween the opposing flanges of the socket element and the cap, all asshown in Fig. 14. The setting die and the sleeves may now be retractedwithout releasing any stretched part of the sheet material and thematerial surrounding the installation will again be found to be free ofpuckers and wrinkles.

The method of the invention has heretofore been considered in itsapplication to setting machines having means for automaticallypositioning socket and cap elements in proper relation to the settingtools during each operating cycle. If the feed mechanism is omitted,either from the anvil or the setting die, then one of the two sleevesmay also be omitted. The part which has no sleeve will then serve itscustomary function and, in addition, as a clamping ring. The essentialparts of such a machine are shown in Fig. 15. There the anvil I3Icarries a sleeve I32 resiliently supported upon spring I33; and it willbe noted that the sleeve is provided with a pair of socket receiving andpositioning arms I34. These parts are in.all material respects identicalwith the anvil and sleeve of Figs. 12 to 14 inclusive. Socket elementsII5 may be fed thereto through a lateral opening in the sleeve eitherautomatically or in any other desired way. Attaching caps II8 will besupplied to the setting die I35 by hand, or at least they will bepositioned upon the supporting sheet I36 prior to the commencement ofthe setting operation. This setting die requires no associated sleeve.The operation of the machine, including these setting tools, issubstantially identical with that of Figs. 12 to 14. The only realdifference lies in the fact that the lower end of the setting die I35engages the sheet material directly and clamps it against the upper endof the lower sleeve I32. It thus performs the function of a' clampingring as well as that of a setting die.

Any one of these various machines may be provided with a table I31, asshown in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive, for supporting the sheet material priorto and while a fastener element is being applied. In the preferredembodiment the table is bolted directly to the sleeve, as indicated-atI38, with its upper surface disposed just beneath the edge of the coverplate 53 so that it will not interfere with the lateral movement of thecover plate to gain access to the enlarged head of the lower sleeve 4|.

foregoing shall be construed in a descriptive- In this preferredarrangement then, the table is adapted to move up and down with thesleeve during the attaching operation to support the sheet material inproper alignment with the upper endof the-clamping member 23 at alltimes. It is further preferred that the table be provided with a railI39 having a gate I39a therein which may be lifted to gain access to thefeed chute 95 when it becomes jammed; and a series of stop elements I40,the latter having threaded pin portions passing through longitudinalslot MI in the table for engagement by thum-b screws I42. The functionof these parts is to serve as guides for locating the sheet materialaccurately with respect to the anvil and setting die so that thefastener installation may be madeat the proper point. Thus, and assumingthat the stop ele-. ments have been first adjusted, it is merelynecessary to place the sheet material upon the table with one of itsedges resting against the rail I39 and with its end abutting the firstone of the stop elements I40. In that position the sheet will beaccurately located with respect to the setting tools, and the operationof the machine will effect the application of the socket member thereonat the desired point. If additional members are to be applied the sheetmay be successively advanced until its end abuts th second, third andother stop members I40, the machine, of course,

being operatedto apply a fastener member at each position.

Where but a single member is to be applied to each piece of sheetmaterial, the table I31 may be omitted. In such case the upper end ofthe lower sleeve must serve in its stead. It will then stop element orgage plate I400, (Fig. 15) against which the edge of the sheet may beplaced to locate it accurately with respect to the setting tools.

The new method which I have claimed herein may be used to advantage inthe setting of almost any kind of fastener member which by reason of itsdesign efiects a stretching of the supporting sheet during the attachingoperation. Likewise, it may be practiced in various forms of attachingmachines of which those shown in Figs. 6 to 15, inclusive, are the jointinvention of myself, Otto J. Huelster and John E. Fagan, as set forthin, co-

rather than a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. The method of installing a fastener member upon an imperforate sheetof supporting material by means of an attaching element, such member andelement having portions which are adapted to be mutually interlockedwith the sheet material firmly clamped between them, said methodcomprising the steps of disposing such a member and element on oppositesides of such a supporting sheet in coaxial relation, engaging the sheetwithin an area closely surrounding that to which the member and elementwill be applied, forcing the member and element'tog'ether to cause apart of one to telescope in and to interlock with a part of the otherand to cla p the sheet material firmbe found desirable to provide thesleeve with a pending application, Serial No. 402,572, filed on July 16,1941, as a division of the present appli-'- cation. Therefore, the twos0ckets'and.the several machines shown herein are intended merely toillustrate the general class of devices to the setting of which thepresent method is applicable, and several practical ways for carryingout its essential steps, l

Since certain changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention, itis intended that the that during said forcing step a portion of the attaching element is caused to penetrate the sheet material and to enterand lock with a cooperating portion of the said member.

3. The method of installing a fastener member having a tubular barreland a marginal flange upon an imperforate sheet of supporting materialby means of a cap element adapted to receive the barrel of the memberand to clamp intervening sheet material against the opposing marginalflange of the member, such method in- 40';

, held and surrounding parts of the sheet, forcing the barrel of themember and the intervening sheet material intov the cap, collapsing thebarrel to lock it within the cap and to clamp the sheet material betweenthe flange of the member and the marginal part of the cap, .and thenreleasing theanaterial surrounding the member and cap.

